(19)
(11) EP 0 871 043 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
28.10.1998 Bulletin 1998/44

(43) Date of publication A2:
14.10.1998 Bulletin 1998/42

(21) Application number: 98201041.5

(22) Date of filing: 02.04.1998
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)6: G01S 15/89, A61B 8/06
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE CH DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE
Designated Extension States:
AL LT LV MK RO SI

(30) Priority: 08.04.1997 US 827724

(71) Applicant: EndoSonics Corporation
Rancho Cordova, California 95670 (US)

(72) Inventors:
  • O'Donnell, Matthew
    Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104 (US)
  • Eberle, Michael J.
    Fair Oaks, California 95628 (US)
  • Stephens, Douglas N.
    Davis, California 95616 (US)
  • Litzza, Gerald
    Sacramento, California 95864 (US)
  • Ziegenbein, Randy
    Sacramento, California 95831 (US)
  • Bleam, David
    Orangevale, California 95662 (US)
  • Wu, Ching-Chen
    Citrus Heights, California 95610 (US)

(74) Representative: Smulders, Theodorus A.H.J., Ir. et al
Vereenigde Octrooibureaux Nieuwe Parklaan 97
2587 BN 's-Gravenhage
2587 BN 's-Gravenhage (NL)

   


(54) A method and apparatus for creating a color blood flow image based upon ultrasonic echo signals received by an intravascular ultrasound imaging probe


(57) A blood flow detection and imaging method and system is described for displaying images in accordance with signals transmitted from an intravascular ultrasound transducer probe. The image processor includes means for independently designating persistence factors for smoothing calculated speed and power of the dynamic portion of a field of view within a vasculature. Furthermore, the designation of a particular image point within a field of view as a dynamic image point (such as a blood flow region) as opposed to a static image point (such as a tissue region) is determined by averaging signal values for image points proximate to an image point of interest over both time and space.






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